Is the value of education Truly Fading Away in Nigeria?

By Elizabeth Ikegima

In recent years, Nigeria’s educational system began to take a dwindling fortune. Education, which used to be an acquisition of pride is now rapidly becoming a shadow of what it was. Back then, bagging a respectable degree used to be a morale-booster showing a scholar to be a possessor of great ideas, character, and worthy behavior. A student would work himself/herself out to get one without cheating. And once obtained, such an individual is recognized with huge adornment as a person of integrity and courage.

Before now, being a certified graduate, wielded tangible influence and relevance in the society. Without blinking an eye, that was a ready leader with a sense of responsibility and trustworthiness because it was duly earned.

Of necessity to the life of every young person is the acquirement of basic education. It is a debt every parent owes their wards from cradle to university levels. This is why an average parent, whether poor or rich, stakes in all they have, to invest in getting their children educated in the hope that it is the dais on which they will be elevated one way or another. Yes, education was worth it for all that could be invested in it from years before. The reasoning was that education aids the growth and development of the intellectual capacity of an average child.

In today’s world, starting from the unfortunate introduction of abysmal lecturing styles, forceful purchasing of handouts, students’ lackadaisical attitudes to class attendance, poor reading orientation, high school fees often beyond many parents’ easy reach, incessant industrial actions by the staff union of Nigerian universities toppled by poor funding of the education sector in the country; education in the country slopped on a nose dive.

Rather than reverse the ugly trend, political officeholders in the country separated themselves from the situation and massively embarked on sending their children to schools in foreign states to obtain a quality education. Soon, scores of Nigerian students too, began the mad rush for foreign certificates every year at huge costs.

A 2021 study by Higher Education Statistics Agency showed that Nigeria is the third non-European Union Country sending children the most to universities in the United Kingdom after China and India, and she is the 10th in exporting students to school in the United States. What this portends is simple – parents have lost massive confidence in Nigeria’s educational system.

Only a slight percentage of those studying at home can merely give a good account for the education obtained here as exhibited in workplaces when they either get engaged to do their internships or are fully employed to work. On the lips of employers, potential employers, academicians, and even parents are regular complaints that quality education has fast eroded due to a lack of core values once attached to it.
Current evaluation of Nigerian universities reveals diverse anomalies namely, facilities dilapidation, poorly qualified teachers and lecturers, non-availability of role models within an educational institution, and poor remuneration of lecturers, as a consistent bane. Students grow up to see these usual lapses and they tend to emulate their worthless ambiance in the absence of any others.

And as the trend continues, esteemed values remain fading in the country’s educational system as her leaders also lack the political will to redress the problems. Thus, a university in today’s Nigeria is ill-equipped to adequately prepare an average student for the real world outside school. If you ask me, this is at variance with the original intent for developing tertiary institutions in Nigeria years ago.

When the idea for University Education was conceived during the pre-independence era by the Elliot Commission of 1943; it birthed the University College, Ibadan (UCI) as an affiliate of the University of London in 1948, to position Nigeria among the comity of nations to produce a set of intellectually and roundly balanced set of citizens to help in the development of the country.

Even with about 2.1 million population of students currently studying in Nigerian tertiary institutions as disclosed by the National Universities Commission, Secretary, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, across a total of 98 public universities, 45 federal and 53 state cum private universities; rather than flourishing, educational outputs keep depreciating in values.

Is the Value of Education Truly Fading in Nigeria?

At this point, it becomes salient to ask the question if the value of education is truly fading in Nigeria. And it is truly pertinent to query considering the statistics on the nation currently having over 13.2 million out-of-school children, another 27 million students performing very poorly, millions more half-educated, whilst over 60 million, representing about 30 percent are stark illiterates. So, how did we get to this sour point, we need to wonder.

Summed together, it may be easily concluded that the value of education in Nigeria is gradually becoming a hapless victim due to these noted factors;
Institutional lapses that result in the pitiable management of education in Nigeria.
Unexpected commercialization of education that results from inadequate funding by relevant agencies, moribund facilities that hampered students’ robust learning and limit them in many facets, placement of foreign certificates above home-earned degrees or qualifications, examination malpractices that enhanced gross moral decadence among lecturers and students leading to incessant mass failures, unending cases of unqualified lecturers and teachers leading to devalued education, shameful involvement of parents in promoting examination malpractice to assist their children to scale through standard tests without being able to defend their results, and several other deficiencies resulting in a massive rate of dropouts.

In addition to all these, the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria (ASUU), has, in an appalling way, helped in devaluing education in Nigeria. Already, due to several such industrial actions, school calendars have been so distorted that, thousands of students are not sure when they would graduate from school, let alone freshers being sure of their admission or resumption dates. Yet, it may be quite unfair to place the entire blame on ASUU’s coffer while the government has glaringly failed to implement her agreement with the union which is affecting the system.

The Way Forward has been said, without further Ado, it is eminent that, we look-to- a quick rescue mechanism to avoid irreparable damage. At this moment, crying over spilled milk becomes a dawdle.
Notwithstanding, problems, is said to be the catalyst for creating solutions. What, then, is the way forward?
It is fundamental to note that, education is the bedrock of any nation that seeks advancement. Therefore, if Nigeria must illuminate her fading educational structure, then, she must be determined to take action, and not just carry out some paperwork. A problem may not be fully tackled, but, a nonchalant approach will leave it hapless.

Government and concerned bodies should revamp the moribund infrastructural facilities like; lecture halls, staff offices, library rooms, sports arenas, electricity, and road networks; overlooking these coefficients impedes robust learning.
Also, federal and public universities can generate funds through different means by teaching students entrepreneurial skills that will boost production and hence forth generate revenue. Schools should not solely depend on the government. China, has used this approach and it is working fine, Nigeria can do the same. The classroom should not only become an avenue to know what, but to know how. Theoretical knowledge is not just enough, but practical knowledge produces better. Schools’ curricula should be reviewed and then, strategically arranged, adding relevant entrepreneurial skills and valuable soft skills; for we can never compete with the global community if nothing is done.
Hence, funding education in Nigeria should not be the sole responsibility of the government but a collective synergy with all relevant stakeholders.
This is now a call of concern to every prominent and patriotic Nigerian, who still affirms the fifth line of the national anthem. Oh! May the labour of our heroes’ past, never be in vain.

More so, we need to recuperate good morale standards as in the good old days.
I am a Nigerian student and I believe, there’s hope for Nigeria’s educational sector, to rise again. We all can make this happen.
I will end with this popular saying, “it is insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result.” We, the government and the governed must have to change our attitude towards education in Nigeria.

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